Now, every year, for many years, I have
written a Poem for Christmas that I send to friends instead of a Christmas
card. They are rarely if even
conventional Christmas poems, not least because I am not religious person,
just like to keep in touch with people and cards are so commercial at a time
when this should be the least of our concerns, and many people can’t really
afford them anyway. I used to send cards just to keep in touch and let people
know I was thinking of them, but nowadays we have e-mail…
Why do I write a Poem for Christmas at
all? Well, regular readers will know that, although I am not religious, I like
to think I have a strong sense of spirituality. Only, I find it in nature
rather than any religion, especially as religions are so divisive. (We should respect different points of view, not
attack them.) Born on the winter solstice, I dare say there is an element of
pagan in me too.
For many people, their religion is a
club, ‘Members Only’; it takes the spirit of religion to reach out to
non-members too. Don't get me wrong. I respect religious points of view, simply cannot enter into them.
So here is my Poem for Christmas, 2014.
Whoever and wherever you are, and whatever your Belief or non-Belief, it comes
to you in the spirit of Love and Peace.
CHRISTMAS REVISITED
Clouds, like baggage
on a tramp’s back trudging
the sky;
doom-gloom of winter
threatening to extinguish
flames
at a roaring hearth,
humanity's way of creating shades
of kindness
Ghosts, wistfully engaging
in a pillow fight in
remembrance
of a Santa Claus
that betrayed every trust
created
to reassure us
with mockery of the
cruellest blasts
of winter
Snow, like white feathers
heaping accusations on
doorsteps
and at windows
where humankind flirts with
blame
long enough be acquitted
by cosy fantasies fuelling
conscience
in home fires
Tramp in the sky falters
under a load growing heavier,
Apollo
pondering whether or not
to join the pillow fighters,
kill off
the best snowmen,
leave Christmas to the
complacency
of religion
Frost on the glass
creating a kaleidoscope of
life’s pain
and pleasures, urging us
to dwell on the latter,
believe
in happiness in spite
of a sorry world’s worst
misgivings
about Christmas
Doom-gloom of winter
ever threatened by the fiercer flames
of a roaring hearth,
humanity's way of creating shades
of kindness to pass on
to the next generation in
the spirit
of Christmas
Copyright R. N. Taber 2014
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